Chapter 88: Does Having Nothing Mean Being Unable to Do Anything?

My nose hurt.

No, the act of inhaling itself was what hurt.

It was pain in its purest form.

As if the outside air had turned into blades, seeping into me.

Even the air I absorbed felt painful.

I exhaled the heat I had struggled to take in with a long sigh.

The heat stored in my lungs was expelled instantly through my mouth and nose, yet the searing warmth remained.

It felt as if my body were burning, but in stark contrast, chills surged through me.

‘This is the worst.’

My mind was hazy.

The full-body muscle pain was almost negligible compared to the rest; the situation was far worse than expected.

I was now realizing, quite painfully, why I had been told to clear my head before waking up.

Right now, simply enduring and holding on was a terrible ordeal.

“Are you awake?”

An unfamiliar voice reached me from the side.

“…….”

That woman.

Was it Ases?

I believe she had other titles she called herself by, but that was all I remembered for now.

Anyway… let’s proceed with what needs to be done immediately.

“There is… something I want to ask.”

“You’re trying to satisfy your curiosity even in that state?”

“How much do you know about me?”

The Demon King had spoken.

That Venus had recognized this woman.

And that Venus had utilized a physical function similar to, or perhaps of the same kind as, hers.

Pointing out that their movements were similar for a moment, the Demon King noted that the two had learned the same thing and must have influenced each other.

In other words, she was either part of the Order of Relief Knights or someone connected to them.

While Kariel himself might not have known anything because his mind had been drifting since she appeared, it seemed the Demon King had grasped the general situation while watching.

“That question is too vague.”

“Not as the child of someone, but the ‘me’ that you know. Based on that standard.”

“This feels like some kind of philosophical dialogue; how interesting.”

She rubbed her chin with her index finger.

“Still, seeing as you don’t remember me, I guess those rumors I overheard were true.”

“…….”

“We used to hang out quite a bit back then, didn’t we?”

At that, Venus, who had been leaning against one wall, cut in with an incredulous look.

“What? You two had that kind of relationship?”

“What do you mean, ‘that kind of relationship’? How petty.”

Ases clicked her tongue as if reprimanding him.

“My coming here has nothing to do with you. In a way, it’s no different from you seeking me out.”

“…The sword, you mean.”

The one who draws the sword.

And what if that sword was the Sword of Grandeus?

The Order of Relief Knights could not have overlooked that.

“Since no one decided this for me… I suppose it’s because of some prophecy or something.”

“Your mind is as quick as ever, I see.”

“…….”

She—Ases—was treating me as if this were entirely natural.

As if it were perfectly normal for me to be competent or quick-witted.

In other words, she was evaluating the current me based on the me from the past.

“If I were the me you remember from the past, what do you think I would do now?”

“First, you would assess the situation. And once that assessment is complete, you would take action.”

“…….”

I struggled to move my body and stretched my leg out of the bed.

Naturally, what was more difficult than the pain was the sense of helplessness permeating my entire body. And the chills.

Just because the warmth had faded slightly, my whole body began to tremble.

“Where are you going?”

“…I have to solve the immediate problem first.”

Gasping for breath, I pointed outside with only my gaze.

“Isn’t it quite noisy outside?”

“…The sound wasn’t that loud. You have keen ears.”

“It’s obvious.”

Beyond lying, at this point, it would be deception or fraud, but I had nothing to say about it.

…Does it matter if she’s being honest right now?

Forget walking; simply bracing myself to stand was an agony.

Just by standing up, the world felt as if it were flipping upside down.

“Will you be alright?”

“…….”

I didn’t know.

Had my physical condition ever been this abysmal before?

Still, it was a familiar process.

Being in poor health was never something to be proud of.

…I had lived in a world where even that led to insult and contempt rather than sympathy.

How often had I been torn apart, with that very weakness being called a flaw?

Because of that, when I was fine, I pretended not to be, and when my condition was at its worst, I pretended to be fine.

…I had always acted as if something was wrong.

‘How pathetic.’

Only upon reaching the absolute worst state did I realize that even that was just a spoiled whim? Clumsiness?

Anyway, I inwardly blamed myself, realizing it had all been a useless farce.

Seeing that this was not right, Ases, who had been supporting me, belatedly scolded Venus.

“You have no intention of helping, do you?”

“…Why interfere with a man standing on his own two feet? That’s the real insult.”

“How can you be so stubborn?”

“A crazy woman like you will never understand.”

Venus and Ases seemed close in many ways.

For a while, I caught my breath while being supported by Ases.

Opening the door, I left the secluded room of the chapel and walked down the narrow corridor.

The commotion hit me more directly.

Still, because my condition was at its worst, my mind was hazy, and the chills, lethargy, pain, and dizziness overlapped… it was truly the worst.

I realized that simply breathing could be hell.

But.

…That was my problem.

The world is not kind to someone like me.

“I’ll go alone.”

“Alright.”

At my words, Ases slowly released her grip and stepped back.

“…….”

I had become accustomed to standing.

To realize that such a thing felt like a blessing was surreal.

I moved my steps slowly.

Despite there being no interference or obstruction, each subsequent step became rapidly heavier.

And then.

A golden light cast over one side of my vision.

—How primitive a crowd is. Watch closely.

Well, you probably already know that well.

====

As anxiety and anger accumulated, their hostility grew even stronger.

The crowd surrounding the chapel was shouting threats and bellows, as if they would drive out those blocking their path at any moment.

“The whole village is in danger because of you people!”

“Drag that bastard out right now! Bring him here!”

“Do you know you’re all accomplices?! Do you think we’ll just leave you alone?!”

Leo raised his voice, trying to calm them down.

“Why is everyone acting like this?! This won’t solve the problem!”

“What is an outsider doing interfering! You there! Luiness! You tell us! Why are you protecting that bastard?!”

“…It is the duty of a believer to protect everyone who enters the Divine Courtyard.”

“We don’t care about the principles of the Order of Irenis or whatever!”

“Tell us the truth! What are you plotting?! Ah, right! Since you’re the descendant of that Great Hero, are you just clinging to him to get something?!”

“You’ve always acted so high and mighty with your pretty face! I didn’t know you had this kind of talent! Well, with legs like those, you have to manage your life some other way!”

“So! How far did you go?! Have you already gone all the way?!”

At those words, Luirin slammed his foot into the ground.

Boom!

“These bastards won’t stop talking just because I’m listening! You! Do you want me to break your legs too?! Want to limp for the rest of your life?!”

“T-this brat! How dare you interrupt when adults are speaking!”

“Low-born bastards are always like this!”

“I heard that brat crawled in following that Hero’s descendant!”

“So that’s why he’s so desperate to protect him?!”

Even a few words of protest were suddenly turned into excuses and stubbornness.

Nothing they said worked.

It wouldn’t be this frustrating even if they were shouting at a wall.

“W-wait! Look over there!”

“Huh?”

When a commotion different from before occurred, the people guarding the chapel entrance reflexively turned around and looked back.

And.

It was clearly proven why everyone’s gaze was concentrated there.

“M-Master?”

“…You’re awake?”

Luirin and Leo spoke with anxious eyes, but he only met their gaze and did not bother to respond.

“…….”

Luiness cast a precarious look his way, but Kariel calmly brushed it off.

He walked past them with a steady pace, neither fast nor slow.

“Uh, mister. You’ll be alright?”

Even to the question of Gehven, the wolf-faced Beastman, Kariel only gave a slight nod.

When Gehven looked past him toward Ases inside the chapel, she simply shrugged her shoulders.

As they stepped aside, he was naturally exposed to the countless crowd holding farm tools, implements, and weapons.

Without a single tremor, he approached them.

“A-after hiding inside for so long!”

“Do you think we’ll look at you kindly just because you’ve come out now?!”

I don’t know the reason.

Yet, for some reason.

Everyone who reached the point of confronting him began to be overcome by an unknown chill and anxiety.

Clothing and an appearance that seemed to be draped in pitch-black.

Beyond that, a skin tone so pale it looked almost white.

There was no trace of blood, making one mistake him for a corpse.

And yet.

Those eyes.

Those eyes, golden and amber in hue.

…Far from being beautiful, they felt incredibly ominous.

And someone watching this suddenly realized that this anxiety was similar to a moment in their past.

The eyes of a Demonic Beast that had stared intently at them with bright yellow pupils.

The reason they had survived back then was likely because the Demonic Beast had just finished hunting.

Sated, it seemed to have no particular interest in them.

Therefore, it had merely watched and stood by.

They had also quickly retreated, trying not to provoke the beast.

…But normally, simply praying for divine mercy at the moment of encounter would not have been enough.

It might have been more practical to pray fervently for a death with less pain.

“Regardless of the choice you make, you will die.”

In the midst of this, as he let out those words in a low voice that was small yet somehow clearly audible.

Over the quiet atmosphere, all sorts of ill will erupted like oil poured on a fire.

“What does that mean?!”

“It’s because of you!”

“Speak clearly!”

“Are you in any position to say such things?!”

The enraged crowd vented their fury as if they would pounce at any moment.

And Kariel took in the scene with an expression of total indifference.

That sight evoked a strange feeling in those who watched.

And.

Is this what it means to be exhausted by one’s own effort?

Because he didn’t even blink despite their denunciations, the shouting eventually faltered.

However, this situation was a precarious balance that could collapse at any time.

Even if you prop up a fallen pillar, how long can a building with a collapsed pillar maintain its form and endure?

“Whether you kill me or not, the result is the same. You will die one way or another. You will die unfairly. You will die painfully. That is the reality.”

What on earth…

“What nonsense is this!”

“I heard that if only you die, the village can be safe!”

“What does it matter if you’re the son of the Great Hero or whatever!”

“It’s because you came here and brought trouble!”

“I can’t stand this any longer!”

“Neither can I!”

Eventually, a few hot-blooded men lunged forward.

And Kariel saw it.

The dark desire and anxiety dwelling in their eyes.

That those two were mixing to justify their actions.

“Aaaagh!”

“Master?!”

Because the distance was quite far, it was far too late to protect him now.

No, perhaps it was possible to intervene by a hair’s breadth!

However, regardless of Luirin’s worry.

“Ugh?!”

Kariel suppressed their violence.

And not just barely.

Overwhelmingly.

Not only did he naturally catch the attack of a man swinging a steel axe with his bare hand—specifically, with just his left hand.

“Uh…?”

On the other side, despite the clear difference in size, he didn’t budge an inch and instead seemed to crush the opponent with sheer strength.

Furthermore, as he easily subdued all the men who had lunged at him in that manner, advancing rather than retreating.

For a moment, he completely stunned everyone who was watching.

“If you intend to kill another, I assume you’ve prepared yourself to die as well?”

“Hieek?!”

“Gasp!”

“Hic!”

Despite the quiet voice, those who heard it right in front of them.

Were struck by a shock as if their hearts were being gripped.

So much so that some collapsed, their legs giving out just by making eye contact with him.

“Do you want to live?”

The collapsed men nodded one after another as if they had made a pact.

“I ask you as well. Do you want to live?”

Then, Kariel’s gaze shifted from below to above.

Toward the crowd scattered around.

Despite the small voice, and despite the lingering commotion.

His voice was strangely clear, carving itself into their ears.

Do we want to live?

What kind of… obvious question is that.

“There is a way.”

What?

“A way for you to live, even if I die.”

If these people.

Had truly been those who lived in the outskirts or remote areas, in walled villages, shunning and rejecting the outside.

This kind of method would not have worked.

They say crowds become ignorant, but even then, the degree varies depending on the basic level of education.

And these people likely already had a general grasp of the situation.

The descendant of the Great Hero.

And the threat of the remnants of the Demon Race and their leader currently pressing upon the village.

Even if they escaped the immediate crisis, some of them would know well that the village could not return to how it was before.

Especially the practical ruling class who held the real power here.

Even so, they might have thought that as long as they escaped the momentary crisis, they could go anywhere else and start anew.

…But would that really be easy?

One of the culprits who caused the son of the Great Hero to die.

In a way, it wouldn’t be strange if they were pushed to be the focal point or the main target.

Could they truly escape that wrath?

Would a Great Hero set aside his grudge and be generous enough to forgive their evil deeds?

……No way.

That is why.

When the culprit himself spoke not words of excuse to save his own life.

…But instead spoke of throwing himself into danger.

No one, at that moment, could condemn him.

No, I don’t know if some thought it was a deception or a lie.

But at least for that moment, it was so.

He did not raise his voice, nor did he show any emotion.

In an instant, he dominated the area.

“Freedom and happiness do not suddenly drop from the sky. Miracles and salvation are the same.”

However.

“What you need right now is neither salvation nor a miracle.”

Just one thing.

“Silence.”

Everything.

“Is my fault.”

Therefore.

“Consider it my fault and stay quietly locked in your homes. If anyone asks, agree in one voice that it was my fault, and no matter what anyone says, shout that it was because of me.”

But the action ends there.

“Only then will the responsibility and resentment not be transferred to you. Danger from the outside? Do you really think they will touch you? Since I showed them an example just now, do you think they won’t care about you?”

Before the sword planted in Grandeus, there might have been some who died at the hands of the remnants along with the Legion Commander.

But from the village’s perspective, that was still a minority.

Their families and friends might not be able to accept it.

Nevertheless, Kariel himself did not kill them.

Blaming Kariel for that would be nothing more than pathetic self-justification.

In the first place, weren’t they people who came with the intention of harming Kariel?

Kariel was not the kind of person to feel sympathy for such people.

Moreover, to feel guilt just because they were swept up in the aftermath? No way.

He was not that kind of good person.

“The moment you touch me, you will incur the wrath of the Empire, and my father is, for starters, that Lueld.”

Huh? Lueld?

…The Knight of Radiance?

W-what? I never heard anything about that!

“And that wrath will be borne by the bastards outside. You do not need to bear it. Isn’t the reason you couldn’t take a hard line until now partly because you knew that?”

That’s why they wanted to make him leave the village voluntarily, or kick him out in some way.

In the end, they hoped the source of the problem would disappear or get lost.

Unfortunately, the stage for that to solve the problem had already passed.

For them, this must have been a dilemma.

It was troublesome not to act, and problematic to do so.

So they just pretended, thinking and thinking again.

…Simply waiting for a solution to appear.

But if no solution appeared, they probably would have just let whatever happen.

“And what are those things so afraid of that they came here and threatened us?”

That is very simple.

“It is because they feared I would draw that sword—the Holy Sword of Grandeus—and drive them back.”

What? Lord Grandeus’s sword?

The Holy Sword? A Holy Sword? That thing was the Holy Sword?

Is that why… no one else could pull it out?

But wait.

He said he was the son of the Knight of Radiance?

Then.

Does that mean the child of the very person who killed Grandeus is now trying to draw that sword?

How did he even know that was the Holy Sword?

What on earth is happening?

“Only one thing matters. If you follow my words, you shall live; if not, you shall die.”

At those words, everyone who had been expressing confusion fell silent all at once.

On what basis could he speak with such certainty?

No one knew.

They had no idea, but…

“Therefore, you must stay hidden behind my back.”

Without a doubt.

“I will never hide behind this village, and I will certainly never hide behind any of you.”

Even if he were to die.

“I shall always remain proud in the face of death.”